Kidney diseases take 4,857 lives in Odisha in 3 years: Minister

Odisha has witnessed a troubling rise in kidney disease cases, with 4,857 fatalities recorded over the past three years, according to a written statement by Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling presented in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

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The Minister reported that out of 15,752 individuals diagnosed with kidney diseases, 10,895 have received necessary medical treatment.

To tackle the mounting health crisis, the State government has established 511 dialysis beds distributed across 68 health centres. These efforts aim to provide vital care to the increasing number of patients suffering from this chronic ailment.

Emerging solutions of the disease

Multi-centric neonatal screening programs are now operational across six states including Odisha, targeting early detection of the genetic conditions exacerbating CKD. The AIIMS-Bhubaneswar's transplant coordination with SOTTO aims to increase kidney donations through police-NGO partnerships.

Environmental risk factors

Bargarh district's study found nephrotoxic pesticides (chlorpyrifos, paraquat) exceed safety limits in 16 hotspot villages. Agricultural communities using Hirakud Dam irrigation showed 21 percent CKD prevalence among males aged ≥40 years. CKDu clusters correlate with intensive pesticide use in rice cultivation areas.

Epidemiological burden

Odisha recorded 4,648 CKD-related deaths between 2022 and 2025, with 15,752 confirmed cases. High-incidence districts include Sambalpur (744 deaths), Cuttack (778 deaths), and Koraput (266 deaths). Cuttack district remains a persistent hotspot with CKDu accounting for 85 percent of cases in agricultural regions.

Government interventions

PM National Dialysis Program provides free hemodialysis, while Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana covers transplants. Recent initiatives include screening programs for diabetes/hypertension patients and plans for sub-district dialysis units. The 2025 Suraj Award honors organ donors to boost transplantation rates.

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Healthcare infrastructure challenges

Government-run health facilities in Odisha include 68 dialysis centers with 511 machines, yet around 90 patients alone receive peritoneal dialysis at SCB Medical College. Cadaveric transplants remain limited - AIIMS Bhubaneswar performed only 4 deceased donor kidney transplants in 2024 despite 34 living donations.